Seodongri East Three-Tier Pagoda: Miniature Pagodas

SOUTH KOREA, North Gyeongsang, Bonghwa; Unified Silla dynasty

This set of miniature pagodas was recovered from the first tier of the three-tier east stone pagoda in Seodongri in 1962. The 99 pagodas are identical and were cast from a single mold. They are a simplified version of the three-tier stone pagoda and consist of a base, body, and spire. At the bottom of each pagoda, there is a small hole in which a handwritten Dharani scroll was inserted and sealed with a wooden plug. The plugs no longer exist and only traces of paper can be found in the holes.
According to the Pure Light Dharani Sutra, those who made or commissioned pagodas and copies of sutras accrued merit for both themselves and all sentient beings. As these miniature pagodas contain written Dharani, they symbolize the construction of 99,000 pagodas.
The making of pagodas as a form of blessing started during the 8th century in Korea and the practice continued until the late Unified Silla dynasty.